Doll

ABSTRACT

An animated doll having the ability to change eye colors, characterized by the provision of a rotatable indexable spindle in the doll having plural pairs of eye of different colors thereon, and eyelid means associated with the spindle for closing the eye opening during rotation of the spindle to present a new set of eyes to view.

United States Patent Barlow 1 1 Sept. 11, 1973 [54] D LL 2,208,219 71940 Maibaurn 46/135 R X 1,496,406 6/1924 Bertsch 46/135 R [75]Inventor- Barb, Evanston 2,938,302 5/1960 Walss 46/135 R x [73]Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates, Chicago, 21954639 10/1960 walss46/135 R X L 1,821,243 9/1931 Springer 46/135 R 2,289,977 7/1942 Maibaum46/135 R [22] Filed: Dec. 30, 1971 [21] Appl' No: 213 895 PrimaryExaminerLouis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-D. L. Weinhold Att0rneyJamesF. Coffee et a]. [52] US. Cl 46/135 R, 46/166, 46/169 [51] Int. Cl A63h11/00 57 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 46/135 R, 135 A, l 1

46/165470y H8 H9 An ammated doll havmg the ab1l1ty to change eye colors,characterized by the provision of a rotatable index- [56] ReferencesCited able spindle in the doll having plural pairs of eye of dif- UNITEDSTATES PATENTS ferent colors thereon, and eyelid means associated with1; the spindle for closing the eye opening during rotation ggzgggg 46/ 2of the spindle to present a new set of eyes to view. 1:027:324 5 1912Dickson.........1...........::::i::::::46/167 8 Claims, 9 DrawingFigures PAIENTEDSE'PI H SHEEI 1 [IF 2 mvsmoszs 60000/1 4. MAZOW MAW/N64A 68 ATTORNEYS DOLL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention This invention relates to animated figure toys and moreparticularly, to a doll with a changeable eye assembly.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art U.S. Pats. disclosing dolls withchangeable eye assemblies include the following: Dickson, No. 1,027,324,-21-1912; Springer, No. 1,821,243, 90- 1-1931; Maibaum, No. 2,093,684,9-21-1937; Maibaum, No. 2,208,219, 7-16-1940; Mandel], No. 2,475,508,7-05-1949; Walss, No. 2,670,568, 3-0- 2-1954; Walss, No. 2,938,302;5-31-1960; Walss, No. 2,954,639, -04-1960; Newman, No. 3,292,610,12-20-1966.

Dolls having changeable physical characteristics possess the advantageof increasing the child's identity with the doll. Features of the dollmay be changed to simulate features corresponding to a child whopossesses the doll or to a friend of the child. Thus, during play andfantasy moments'with the doll, the child can increase the identity ofthe doll with himself or with a friend, by selecting features orcharacteristics which correspond to the child or a friend.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved animated figuretoy with changeable features in the form of a doll having changeableeyes with associated eyelid mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed, in brief, to theprovision of a doll having changeable eyes and movable eyelidsassociated therewith.

The best mode currently contemplated for carrying out the inventionincludes the provision of an indexable spindle in the doll head,carrying sets of pairs of eyes behind eye openings. Eyelids are movablyassociated relative to'the eye openings and connected with the spindleby a lost motion connection. As the spindle mechanism is actuated, theeyelids first close, then the spindle rotates to present a new set ofeyes adjacent the eye openings, following which the eyelids lift topresent the new set-of eyes to view.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view,partially in section, of a doll head incorporating the changeable eyeassembly of thisinvention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical section view throughthe doll head taken generallyalong the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section view through the doll head takengenerally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, and illustrating in particular,the eye assembly of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a section view taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section view taken generally along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a section view taken generally along the line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a section view taken generally along the line 7-7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a section view taken generally along the line 8-8 of FIG. 3;and

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the components of thechangeable eye assembly of this invention. While this invention issusceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in thedrawings and will herein be described in detail a specific embodimenttherefor, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to beconsidered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention andis not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The figure toy 10 of thisinvention includes a generally rigid shell 12 defining a head which, inthe illustrated embodiment, is somewhat grotesque in configuration.Preferably, the figure 12 has the usual facial characteristics,including a mouth 14, nose l6, and eye openings 18 and 20. It is to beunderstood that the head 12 could be mounted on a doll-1ike body by wellknown means, but such a torso or body is not shown herein, since itforms no part of the invention.

The changeable eye assembly 22 of this invention is intended to bemounted within a structure, such as the head 12, behind eye openings 18and 20. The eye assembly 22 includes outer half shells 24 and 26 whichare secured together and held within the head 12 by threaded fasteners30, which extend through screw openings 28 in each of the shell halvesand into posts 32 in the interior of head 12.

Each half shell 24 and 26 has half socket portions 34a, 34b, 36a, 36b,respectively, at its opposite ends, which are interconnected bycylindrical half shell portions 40 and 42, respectively. Socket halves34a and 34b are provided with eye openings 42a and 42b which areintended to generally register with eye openings 18 and 20 in the head12. In addition, each half shell 24 and 26 has outwardly projectingsleeve stub halves 44, 46, 48 and 50 at its opposite ends which providebearing surfaces for receivingthe stub ends 52 and 54, respectively, ofthe eyelid assembly 56.

Eyelid assembly 56 has spaced, generally spherical portions 58 and 60which are supported at opposite ends of a semi-cylindrical intermediatemember 62. The member 62 hasa projection 64 generally medially locatedthereon having an opening 640 therethrough. Each sphere 58 and 60 has aneye opening 68 and 70 spanned by clear plastic and bordered by simulatedeyelashes 72 and 74 at the top thereof. Sphere 60 further includes aspring mounting stub 76 which projects outwardlyfrom one side thereofclose to the, stub end 54. A torsion spring 78 is mounted on stub end 54and has one end, 78a, connected with stub 76, and another end, 78b,which is captivated in the socket half 36b of shell 26. By thisarrangement, the eyelid assembly is biased for orientation normally withthe opening 68 and 70 in alignment with the openings 42a and 42b withthe eyelashes 72 and 74 extending through openings 42a and 42b at thetop thereof. v

The changeable eye assembly 22 further includes an eye set 82. The eyeset 82 includes a center shaft 84 terminating in reduced pin-like ends86 and 88. The shaft 84 is provided with rectangular enlargements 90 and92 near each of the pin ends 86 and 88, respectively. The enlargements90 and 92 are provided with hub-like extensions 94 on each facet thereofwhich receive color rings 96. The color rings 96 are provided withopenings 98 of a size and shape to frictionally fit on hubs 94. The hubs94 simulate an eye lens and the color rings 96 simulate a colored iris.In the illustrated embodiment, there are four different pairs of eyesprovided on the assembly 82 in that the rectangular enlargements 90 and92 provide four different faces to which the hub 94 and rings 96 can beconnected. It is to be understood that a greater number of faces couldbe provided affording greater number of pairs of eyes of differentcolors.

The shaft 84 has a rectangular extension 100 which is intended to lieadjacent a leaf spring 102. The extension 100 and spring 102 comprise anindexing means for retaining the shaft in a position oriented with re-'spect to the openings in the eyelid assembly, the outer shell, and thedoll head.

Means comprising a lost motion connection 104 is interposed between theeyelid assembly and the eye set. The lost motion connection includes acam wheel 106, a follower 108, a pin 1 extending outwardly from the camand a slot 112 in the socket 58. The cam wheel 106 has a center opening114, rotatably receiving the pin end 86 of shaft 84.

A slot 1 16 is formed in socket S8 for receiving the pin 110 of the camwheel 106. The cam wheel 106 is provided with cam quadrant portions 118on one face, near the periphery thereof, with each quadrant beingseparated from the next by a transverse shoulder 120. Follower 108 has acentral D-shaped opening 122 which fits on D-shaped stub 122a of shaft84 to fix the follower with respect to shaft 84. The follower 108 alsohas a pair of outwardly struck quadrants 124 terminating in an offsetfree end 126. The quadrants 1.24 are intended to overlie a pair of thefour quadrants 118 of the cam wheel 106 with the free ends 126 abuttingthe shoulders 120. However, only two such quadrants and shoulders areprovided on the follower 108 whereas four companion cam quadrants 118and shoulders 120 are provided onthe cam wheel 106. Thus, provision ismade for 90 of lost motion movement between the wheel 106 and thefollower 108.

A strand 128 extends from connection through opening 64a on projection64 through an opening 130 in the shell half and further through anopening 131 in the head. A pull ring 132 is connected to the strand 128to the exterior of the head. In operation, when the strand 128 ispulled, it will cause rotation of the eyelid assembly 62 with the eyelidundergoing approximately 90 of movement so that the eyelashes 72 and 74drop to the bottom of openings 42a and 42b and the remainder of sphereportions 58 and 60 occupy these openings. At this point, one of theshoulders 120 will come into en'- gagement with one of the free ends 126so that continued pulling on the string 128 will cause rotation of shaft84 so that another set of eyes of different colors will be presentedbehind the spheres 58 and 60. The indexing arrangement afforded by theenlargement 100 and leaf spring 102 will insure registration of eachpair of eyes in position for alignment with the openings 42a, 42b

and 68 and 70. As soon as the strand 128 is released, the torsion spring78 will cause the eyelid assembly 62 to rotate reversely, also affordedthrough the lost motion connection, so that the eyelashes 72 and 74 willcome to the top of the openings 42a and 42b and the openings 68 and willbe in alignment therewith.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in theart.

I claim:

1. An animated figure, comprising:

means defining a figure head having simulated facial features and eyeopenings therein;

a changeable eye assembly mounted within the head behind the eyeopenings including a movable multiple eye set assembly supportingdifferent pairs of sets of eyes for orientation behind said openings,and a movable eyelid assembly including eyelids adjacent said eyeopenings, said eyelid assembly being connected with said multiple eyeset assembly by a lost motion connection for moving said eyelid assemblyacross said eye openings prior to movement of said eye set assembly;

and means for moving said eyelid and eye set assemblies; whereby, whensaid means for moving is actuated, said eyelids will close said eyeopenings, following which the eye set assembly will move to present anew set of eyes adjacent the openings.

2. The animated figure of claim 1 wherein said eye set assembly hasindexing means for positively orienting the eye sets behind the eyeopenings.

3. The animated figure of claim 1 wherein said eye set assembly includesa rotatable spindle with said eye sets being radially oriented relativeto the axis of rotation of said spindle.

4. The animated figure of claim 3 wherein said eyelid assembly overliessaid eye set assembly, having portions coaxial therewith, with said lostmotion connection being between said coaxial portions.

5. The animated figure of claim 4 wherein the eyelid and eye setassemblies are coaxially mounted within a housing having eye openingstherein.

6. The animated figure of claim 5 wherein the eyelid assembly isnormally biased to an open position wherein the eyelids remain adjacentto the eye openings.

7. The animated figure of claim 6 wherein said eyelid assembly comprisesa pair of semi-spheres interconnected by shaft portion which overliessaid spindle.

8. The animated figure of claim 7 wherein the means for moving saideyelid and eye set assemblies comprises a strand element connected tothe shaft portion of the eyelid assembly for rotation thereof responsiveto tension applied to said strand.

1. An animated figure, comprising: means defining a figure head havingsimulated facial features and eye openings therein; a changeable eyeassembly mounted within the head behind the eye openings including amovable multiple eye set assembly supporting different pairs of sets ofeyes for orientation behind said openings, and a movable eyelid assemblyincluding eyelids adjacent said eye openings, said eyelid assembly beingconnected with said multiple eye set assembly by a lost motionconnection for moving said eyelid assembly across said eye openingsprior to movement of said eye set assembly; and means for moving saideyelid and eye set assemblies; whereby, when said means for moving isactuated, said eyelids will close said eye openings, following which theeye set assembly will move to present a new set of eyes adjacent theopenings.
 2. The animated figure of claim 1 wherein said eye setassembly has indexing means for positively orienting the eye sets behindthe eye openings.
 3. The animated figure of claim 1 wherein said eye setassembly includes a rotatable spindle with said eye sets being radiallyoriented relative to the axis of rotation of said spindle.
 4. Theanimated figure of claim 3 wherein said eyelid assembly overlies saideye set assembly, having portions coaxial therewith, with said lostmotion connection being between said coaxial portions.
 5. The animatedfigure of claim 4 wherein the eyelid and eye set assemblies arecoaxially mounted within a housing having eye openings therein.
 6. Theanimated figure of claim 5 wherein the eyelid assembly is normallybiased to an open position wherein the eyelids remain adjacent to theeye openings.
 7. The animated figure of claim 6 wherein said eyelidassembly comprises a pair of semi-spheres interconnected by shaftportion which overlies said spindle.
 8. The animated figure of claim 7wherein the means for moving said eyelid and eye set assembliescomprises a strand element connected to the shaft portion of the eyelidassembly for rotation thereof responsive to tension applied to saidstrand.